Cooler and folding chair holder for a vehicle

ABSTRACT

A cooler is mounted on a carrier over the rear wheel of a bicycle or other vehicle and held in place by a folding stool placed over it. The stool frames or legs are adapted to releasably engage in a mount secured to the carrier and are resiliently urged into contact therein by a tensioning device which forces the legs of the stool apart and tensions the seat secured therebetween.

FIELD OF INVENTION

This invention relates to a holder for carrying a picnic cooler and a folding chair on a bicycle, or other vehicle.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

When travelling to the beach, river bank, or other outdoor location by bicycle, or other vehicle such as a tricycle, all terrain vehicle, motor cycle, or snowmobile, it is frequently desirable to transport a picnic cooler, containing refreshments and the like, as well as some portable seating to be used upon arrival at the outdoor location for picnicking, fishing, ice fishing or similar activities. It is necessary, therefore, to provide some sort of carrier on the bicycle to which a cooler may be secured for safe passage. Several patents have been granted for such carriers, and attention is directed to U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,527,153; 5,024,359; 5,282,554 and 5,687,894, all of which describe different forms of carriers for picnic coolers and the like. These carriers are all relatively complex, bulky and expensive structures and not without their disadvantages. Thus, there is a need for a simple structure to mount a cooler on a standard bicycle carrier, which is generally, but not essentially, mounted over the rear wheel of a bicycle and which includes provision for securing the cooler to the carrier using a folding chair as part of the securement.

OBJECT OF INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive mount which can be secured to a carrier frame on a bicycle and to which a picnic cooler and a folding chair may be secured.

BRIEF STATEMENT OF INVENTION

By one aspect of this invention there is provided a cooler, folding stool and mounting means combination for detachable mounting of said cooler and folding stool to a carrier mounted on a vehicle frame, comprising:

-   -   a folding stool having a pair of pivotally interconnected         rectilinear frame members having a flexible seat means secured         therebetween, adapted to be moved between an open operative         position wherein said seat means is substantially planar and a         closed inoperative position in which said rectilinear frames are         in substantially parallel overlying relationship;     -   a substantially rectangular cooler adapted so as to fit under         said seat means and between said pair of interconnected         rectilinear frame means when said folding stool is in said open         position;     -   mounting means, mountable on said carrier and adapted to         releasably engage a portion of each of said pair of rectilinear         frame members when said stool is in said open position, so as to         hold said folding stool on said carrier; and     -   tensioning means to urge said rectilinear frame members into         releasable engagement with said mounting means.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view of the rear portion of a bicycle with a rear wheel carrier according to one embodiment of the present invention mounted thereon;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the bicycle of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the bicycle of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the bicycle of FIG. 1 with a cooler and chair stored on the carrier;

FIG. 5 is an end view of the bicycle and cooler combination of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the bicycle and cooler combination of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a conventional folding camp stool.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 there is shown the rear half of a bicycle 1 having a frame 2, saddle 3, front sprocket 4 and pedals 5 driving chain 6 and rear sprocket 7, which in turn turns rear wheel 8. A mudguard 9 protects wheel 8. A conventional substantially rectangular planar rear wheel carrier or rack 10 is mounted over wheel 8 and secured to rear frame member 11 at point 12, and supported by rack support arms 13, 14 which may be secured at the lower ends thereof to frame member 11 or to the rear wheel hub 15. As seen most clearly in FIGS. 2 and 3, a pair of transverse, generally, but not essentially, tubular members 16, 17 are clamped, bolted or otherwise secured to carrier 10, in spaced parallel relationship. Tubular members 16, 17 are provided with upwardly curved ends 18, 19 for reasons that will be apparent hereinafter.

In operation, a conventional, substantially rectangular, foam insulated, picnic cooler 20 (FIGS. 4, 5 and 6) is placed on the carrier 10 and a conventional folding campstool 21 is placed thereover. Preferably, but not essentially, cooler 20 is fabricated in a substantially rigid thermoplastics material. As seen more clearly in FIG. 7, stool 21 comprises a pair of rectilinear frames 23, 24, pivotally interconnected at 24, 25 so as to form an X shape. A flexible canvas, or other fabric, seat 26 is provided between the upper horizontal members 27, 28 of frames 22, 23 so as to provide an upper horizontal seating surface when in the erected position. In the preferred embodiment, stool 21 is placed over the picnic cooler 20 so that the pivots 24, 25 are substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the bicycle 1 and carrier 10. The curved ends 18, 19 of tubular members 16, 17 are adapted to releasably receive and retain the lower horizontal frame members 29, 30 of frames 23, 24. Frame members 29, 30 are secured in ends 18, 19 by exerting outward pressure thereon. This is achieved by providing tensioning means, such as straps 31, 32 or elastic cord means between frame member pairs 27, 29 and 28, 30 respectively. If straps are used, then buckles 33, 34 may be provided to adjust the tension in straps 31, 32. It will, of course, be appreciated that it is not essential that members 16, 17 be arranged transversely across carrier 10, but may equally well be arranged parallel the longitudinal axis of bicycle 1 without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Similarly, although this invention has been described primarily with reference to use on a bicycle, it will be appreciated that it may also be used with tricycles, or other pedal driven vehicles, or with motor cycles, motor scooters, all terrain vehicles and snowmobiles. 

1. A cooler, folding stool and mounting means combination for detachable mounting of said cooler and folding stool to a carrier mounted on a vehicle frame, comprising: a folding stool having a pair of pivotally interconnected rectilinear frame members having a flexible seat means secured therebetween, adapted to be moved between an open operative position wherein said seat means is substantially planar and a closed inoperative position in which said rectilinear frames are in substantially parallel overlying relationship; a substantially rectangular cooler adapted so as to fit under said seat means and between said pair of interconnected rectilinear frame means when said folding stool is in said open position; mounting means, mountable on said carrier and adapted to releasably engage a portion of each of said pair of rectilinear frame members when said stool is in said open position, so as to hold said folding stool and said cooler on said carrier; and tensioning means to urge said rectilinear frame members into releasable engagement with said mounting means.
 2. A combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein said mounting means comprises a pair of spaced apart parallel members, each having ends adapted to releasably engage a respective said portion of each of said pair of rectilinear frame members.
 3. A combination as claimed in claim 2, wherein said pair of spaced apart parallel members is mountable transversely on said carrier.
 4. A combination as claimed in claim 2 including releasable means to secure said parallel members to said carrier.
 5. A combination as claimed in claim 1 wherein said tensioning means is selected from adjustable strap means and an elastic cord means.
 6. A combination as claimed in claim 1 in further combination with a vehicle upon which said carrier is mounted.
 7. A combination as claimed in claim 6 wherein said vehicle is selected from the group consisting of pedal driven vehicles, motor cycles, all terrain vehicles and snowmobiles.
 8. A combination as claimed in claim 7 wherein said pedal driven vehicle is a bicycle.
 9. A combination as claimed in claim 8 wherein said mounting means is mounted transversely on said carrier which is mounted behind a seat of the bicycle and over a rear wheel of the bicycle. 